THE gradual move upmarket by wannabe prestige car maker Honda will gather further momentum next year with the return of an old name in a completely new guise.

THE gradual move upmarket by wannabe prestige car maker Honda will gather further momentum next year with the return of an old name in a completely new guise.

Honda's big Legend executive saloons never lived up to their own imposing branding in the UK where drivers have traditionally preferred the badges of European prestige brands to those from the Far East.

Over the years Japanese rivals Nissan and Toyota have suffered the same fate with flagship models like the QX and the Crown which have sold in only tiny numbers.

British buyers with big money to spend on their motors prefer the cache which comes with a BMW, Mercedes or Jaguar badge and, in most cases, shudder at buying a luxury model from makers normally associated with family hatchbacks.

But Honda is sticking to its guns and has enough faith in the strength of the big red H badge to pursue the gradual move upmarket.

And that policy will see the return of the Honda Legend to the UK market next year - designed to carry the fight to the Audi A6 and BMW 5 Series.

It will be based on the Acura RL Prototype which made its world debut at the New York auto show last week.

With angular, up-to-the-minute styling and a barrage of hi-tech features, this 21st century Legend promises to give Honda the foothold on the prestige ladder it so desperately seeks.

It will have a new Super Handling All Wheel Drive system, which automatically distributes optimum amounts of torque for the conditions not only between the front and rear wheels but also between the left and right back wheels.

The emphasis will be on performance with flag-ship models powered by a 300bhp, 3.5 litre V6 engine.

Although billed as a prototype, the car is virtually production-ready and will be launched as the 2005 Acura RL in the USA this autumn.